Jayne and Charlie
by Transgenic-girl
Summary: Relationships are always complicated, especially when you're in deep space. For the love of a transgenic. JayneOC centric. Now completed.
1. Jayne breaks in

**Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

Jayne grumbled. He hated it when they took jobs from Badger. He didn't trust the little man's snide attitude and shifty eyes. He kept thinking that one of these days Badger would turn them over to the Alliance if it suited him.

"Earth-that-was to Jayne." Zoe murmured into his earpiece comm.

Jayne checked his sidearm. "Yeah Zo, I hear you. Somethin' change?"

"Just wanted to remind you that the merchandise is in a small trunk in the third room to your left."

"Got it." Jayne slipped the gun into his right holster and headed for the fortified building where his goal lay.

Normally, Jayne wouldn't have been sent out on a job alone, but with Mal's recovery still in progress after a bank job gone wrong, and Zoe heavily pregnant, there was no one else.

After easily jimmying the lock on the door with a knife and a bit of brute strength, he eased it open. He laughed silently to himself over the fact that everyone else thought he couldn't walk quieter than a lumber. He could move silently, lumberin' was just more fun.

He walked down the hallway, noting the concrete and steel walls and doors. He stopped in front of the third door to his left. He quickly punched in the door code and pushed the heavy door open.

Jayne cursed when he saw what was inside.


	2. The Escape

**Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

**Spoilers: Some for Serenity**

Attached to one wall, about six and a half feet up, was a pair of shackles. And slumped below them, was a young woman, her wrists caught in the heavy chains above her.

Zoë's voice floated over the comm. "Jayne, what's wrong?"

"There's a problem." Jayne looked around the room, catching sight of the trunk he was after, just beside the girl.

"What problem?" Zoë's voice was filled with annoyance. "You said you could handle this."

"You never told me about no girl." Jayne bit back.

The girl groaned, drawing Jayne's attention once again. She lifted her head and opened her eyes, revealing their emerald depths. She stared at him from beneath thick, lowered lashes.

Jayne stared back at her, his blue eyes wide.

"Well, just get the merchandise and get out before she raises an alarm!" Zoë ordered over the comm..

"No she's not a..." Jayne stopped when the signal dissolved into static.

"Gorram sub-par equipment!" He cursed under his breath, pulling his earpiece out. He stared at the girl for a moment.

Jayne snatched up the surprisingly heavy trunk from beside the girl's half-crumpled form. She looked up at him silently as he gave her a hurried inspection. From her split lip to her ripped clothes, she was a sorry sight.

"Where's the key?" Jayne sighed, setting the trunk back down. When the girl stared blankly at him, he pointed to the shackles. "The key to your chains."

The girl opened her chapped, split lips to speak for the first time. "There, by your foot."

Jayne looked down at his boots, and caught sight of a silver key. He picked up the tarnished key, then quickly undid the poor girl's chains. As soon as the girl's wrists were free, she fell. Jayne easily caught her, but had only a second to enjoy the feel of warm, curvy woman, before the sound of voices down the hall reached him.

Jayne cursed and swung the girl carefully up onto his shoulder. Then he tucked the trunk under his other arm and ran out the door, down the hallway and out the front door. When he reached the waiting four-wheeler, he gingerly put the girl down and stowed the trunk. He climbed aboard the machine and motioned for the girl to climb on behind him. Once she was safely aboard, he gunned the engine and took off.

Behind them they could hear angry shouts as the men inside the building discovered that the room was now empty.


	3. Cargo Bay

**Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

**Spoilers: Some for Serenity**

Jayne drove the four-wheeler into the cargo bay of Serenity. Kaylee hit the control panel and the doors closed behind the machine.

"Go River, Jayne's aboard!" She cried into her comm.

"One minute until atom." River replied, taking the ship up.

"You got the package?" Mal called, limping along the catwalk.

"Yeah of course I've got it." Jayne scowled.

"You owe me ten credits." Kaylee whispered to Simon. "Told you he'd do it."

"Uh Cap? I kinda had a problem." Jayne said uncertainly.

"What do you mean by problem?" Mal's expression hardened.

Without another word, Jayne dismounted from the four-wheeler, revealing the bruised figure behind him. Kaylee gasped and shot an accusing look at the mercenary.

"What did you do?" She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

The girl dismounted from the four-wheeler and, under the gaze of Serenity's crew, promptly collapsed. Jayne managed to catch her a split second before she hit the cold metal floor.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this so far, I'm glad you like it, future chapters will be coming at you pretty quickly.


	4. Infirmary

**Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

**Spoilers: Some for Serenity**

**Pairings (by request): mal/inara vaguely,**

**Simon/ kaylee**

**Zoe/Wash (yes I know he's dead)**

**River? (I don't want to spoil it)**

**jayne/charlie (SPOILER)**

Jayne paced impatiently outside the infirmary. It had taken a lot of convincing before Mal would believe him that he had had nothing to do with the girl's injuries. Mal had been raised to see the abuse of a woman as the antithesis of everything he believed. In the end, only the fact that the girl's wounds were relatively old had prevented Mal from shooting Jayne or throwing him out the airlock.

Inside the room, Simon was trying to figure out the results of the girl's blood tests. His scans showed some confusing facts about the girl's past.

The girl bolted straight up on the table. "Jayne!" she screamed, panicking. Simon moved to calm her, but she easily tossed him aside.

The giant merc rushed into the room. "I'm here." The girl calmed down immediately when he ran over and held her.

Mal, who had come running at the sound of the girl's scream and the subsequent crash of Simon hitting one of the cabinets, stopped in the doorway. He stood there confused for a few seconds, marveling at the strange scene before him. His hired gun was holding onto a clearly terrified young woman who was sitting on the med table in ripped military clothing. And his doctor was sitting amidst fallen medicine bottles and scans.

"Would anyone care to explain what's goin' on?" He said in his best mean old man voice.

"Don't look at me Captain." Simon said, climbing gingerly to his feet. "Her tests just confused me more."

"You ran tests on me ?" The girl cried, throwing off Jayne's arms and leaping off the table to land smoothly across the room.

Simon sputtered. "With your injuries you should be barely able to walk, let alone do gymnastics!"

"I heal quickly." The girl said," I'll be good as new in a week or two."

Mal turned to Simon. "What did her tests show Doc?"

Simon looked down at his scans. "I don't know." When Mal raised an eyebrow, he continued. "Her DNA is odd, like she's not entirely human. Her bones are lighter than anyone's I've ever seen, but are stronger. The list goes on, I don't know where to start."

"Odd?" Jayne looked at the girl in front of him, poised as if to fight all who came at her. "Not human?"

The girl looked at him then forced herself to relax. "I will explain."

"Someone ought to!" mal said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not human. Well, not entirely." She sighed. "I am a X-5, a custom made super-soldier for the Earth-that-was."

"A X-5?" Simon gasped. "That's not possible, they are a myth."

"You've hear of them before?" Jayne asked, eyeing the doctor. "Where?"

"In med academy, I did a paper on the myth. They were supposed to be beautiful but deadly creatures, created by scientists and raised as soldiers." Simon shook his head. "I laughed, the very idea seemed ludicrous."

"Yep. Ludicrous." The girl laughed. "Well ludicrous or not, here I am, X5-622 in the flesh."

"622?" Jayne asked, half under his breath.

"My designation." She smiled wryly. "Charlie to my friends."

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this so far, I'm glad you like it, future chapters will be coming at you pretty quickly.**


	5. Will You Join?

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Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

**Spoilers: Some for Serenity**

**Thanks to Dr. Shubert, my latest reviewer:**

**Charlie is a relic of an experimental cryo program that they talked about in DA. If you don't want a spoiler look away, part-transgenics are coming up to explain what has happened in the interim. Plus, I've decided to combine some of the further chapters because they are really short.**

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Jayne woke in the middle of the night to find that he was not alone. He sat straight up in the bed and whipped out a heavy grey revolver to point it straight at the intruder.

Charlie blurred and easily dismantled the gun before Jayne could blink. She laughed aloud at the surprised expression on his face as he stared at her.

Jayne stared at the grip of the weapon, still resting in his palm. He raised an eyebrow as he raised his gaze back up to her face. "Any reason you're in my bunk? Besides to show off?"

Charlie's grin faded. "I couldn't stay in that room, bruised ribs or not. After Manticore, I can't stand doctors or hospitals."

"I can understand that." Jayne ran a hand through his short hair, momentarily wondering what they had done to her there.

"Do you mind if I stay here tonight?" When she saw the look on his face, she hurried on. "I could just sleep on the floor."

"You'd be pretty uncomfortable." Jayne grumbled.

Charlie shrugged. "Slept on much worse."

Jayne woke the next morning from an embarrassingly adolescent dream, with Charlie playing a main role. He looked over to the floor beside his bed, and saw, nothing. He heard Mal pounding on his door to wake him.

Feeling completely awake, Jayne pulled on his clothes. Then a thought hit him, making him freeze. Charlie had been there all night and he'd been completely naked apart from a single blanket.

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Charlie was working out on the weight bench when the captain approached her. She looked up as he neared, shelving the bar. 

"Can I talk to you?" Mal asked, looking down at her.

"Sure." Charlie sat up, and wiped herself off with a nearby towel. "By the way, I hope you don't mind me using the weights."

"No, it's fine." Mal ruffled his hair with one hand. "I wanted to know if you'd join my crew. With your strength and abilities you'd be mighty useful on our jobs."

"It'd certainly be a surprise to your "business associates" if they tried to cheat you." Charlie grinned. "I couldn't help you with pure intimidation, but I'm a better bet for protection when you need to keep a low profile."

"They wouldn't see you as a threat, and that'd come in mighty handy." Mal caught her gaze. "You in?"

"In a heartbeat." Charlie shook Mal's hand as he extended it. "622, at your service."


	6. Meeting at Midnight

**Disclaimer: I am a high school senior, all I own are copies of Serenity, Firefly and Dark Angel Season 1. Everything else is owned by James Cameron and Joss Whedon, I only wish I owned Firefly.**

**Spoilers: Some for Serenity**

**Since it's been a couple days, I thought I'd give y'all two chapters within 4 hours.**

Simon was patching up Charlie's back when Jayne walked into the infirmary. Although she was lying face down on the table, her topless state gave Jayne some pause. Then he noticed the state her back was in. There were long bloody gashes completely covering her pale skin, they were half healed, but some had been reopened.

"What the gorram hell?" Jayne rumbled, drawing both Charlie and Simon's attentions.

Simon gulped when he saw Jayne's furious face, quickly turning back to his patient.

Charlie smiled reassuringly. "You can go Simon, I've got this." He smiled back nervously, then fled the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Jayne ground out, staring at her shredded skin.

"And say what exactly?" Charlie slowly got up and slipped her shirt on, keeping her back to the furious merc. "Thank you for saving me from constant torture and imprisonment at the hands of a weasel-faced man who was planning on raping me. Oh and could you listen to me whine about some non-fatal wounds? Like you hadn't helped me enough."

"What happened?" Jayne stepped forward, until he was just inches away. "What did he do to you."

"When I wouldn't tell him exactly how strong I am and the limit of my abilities, he was mad." She ran her fingers of one hand over her split lips, and down to her bruised ribs. "When I refused to be a part of his 'breeding program,' he was furious. He decided that a whip was suitable for a disobedient _animal_."

"You have every reason to distrust ordinary people." Jayne looked down into her emerald eyes. "Yet you seem to trust _me_. Why?"

"It's not as odd as you think. You saved me when you didn't have to." She reached up and laid a hand on his cheek. "You could've left me there and almost no one would've condemned you."

"I would've." Jayne murmured.

Charlie pulled his head down, and kissed him. He put his hands at her waist and kissed her back. Instinctively he let one hand slide up her back, and she froze. He felt instant remorse as she pulled away, her green eyes filled with pain.

Charlie turned and fled, blurring past a shocked Kaylee, who had apparently walked in mid-kiss.

"I thought you didn't kiss women on the mouth." She said, after a few shocked moments.

"I didn't...I mean I don't." Jayne replied, then stalked past her, his head spinning.

Kaylee was left alone in the infirmary. She smiled. "How interesting."

Jayne tossed and turned for more than a hour before he gave up. He pulled on a pair of pants and headed for the cargo bay to work out.

When he reached the cargo bay, he stopped at the sound of soft grunting. He looked around the corner, and saw Charlie easily bench-pressing a hundred pounds.

"I didn't think mercs snuck around like little mice." Charlie said without looking at him.

"I'm not sneaking around." Jayne replied childishly, stepping around the corner.

Charlie shelved the bar and sat up. "Really? Could've fooled me." She turned slowly to look at him.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the way she was looking at him made the words stick in his throat.

Charlie slowly stood and dried herself off with her towel. She let her hair down, it fell in dark waves down to her waist. She kept her eyes on him the entire time. She walked slowly over to him and licked her lips.

Jayne's mouth went dry as he stared at her mouth. He stood stock still as she came towards him, stopping a breath away.

"Charlie..." Jayne stopped when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He groaned against her mouth.

"Your bunk." Charlie ran her hands down his back. "Now."

Jayne woke up at some ungodly hour, expecting to find Charlie long gone. He was surprised to find her still curled up in his arms, fast asleep. He lay there watching her for a minute, then she opened her huge emerald eyes to dreamily look up at him.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hey." He rumbled back. He adjusted his grip around her waist. He noticed then that her skin was feverishly hot. "Are you okay? You feel really warm."

"I'm great." She laid her cheek against his chest. "My kind run a little hot, a little under a hundred and two degrees Fahrenheit." When she ran a hand over one shoulder, he winced. "What?" She propped herself up on one elbow.

"Just a little sore, that's all."

She looked down at his shoulder, catching sight of a faint bite mark. "I did this?" Jayne nodded and she had the decency to blush. She leant down and kissed it.

"You know, we have a couple of hours before Mal'll come lookin' for me." Jayne flipped them over so she was half underneath him.

"Only a couple of hours?" Charlie grinned.


	7. Nausea

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing!**

Charlie was surprised that Mal hadn't caught her and Jayne in the few weeks they had been sneaking around together. After all, they would disappear several times a day, especially after a complicated job. Of course, she'd always be back in her room before Mal would come to get Jayne in the morning.

Whenever they went planet side, Jayne would tell the captain he was off for wine, women and song. Charlie would make an excuse that she had to get some Tryptophan, and likewise disappear. Then, when they were out of Mal's sight, they'd meet up and find an empty room at some lodging.

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She was putting away one of the guns she had acquired since she joined the crew, when she suddenly felt horribly nauseous. She ran to the toilet, arriving just in time to lose her lunch. After what felt like hours, her stomach was empty. She groaned and pushed it back into the wall. Protein bars look even worse partially digested.

Charlie reluctantly headed to the infirmary. She may hate needles and pills, but something had to be done. She walked in to see Simon tidying up the cabinets, again.

"Simon, can I talk to you?"

He turned and smiled at her. "Sure Charlie. Something up?"

"Yeah, it was weird, I just threw up." She grimaced. "And believe me, it was not pleasant."

"Did you eat something bad on the last job?" He motioned for her to sit on the table.

Charlie sat, and then raised an eyebrow. "Si, I was designed to shake of nerve gas like it was black pepper dust. A little bad food wouldn't hurt me."

"Right." Simon thought for a moment. "Well, let's check you out." After a few moments and a few tests, he had the answer.

"I'm what?" Charlie leapt off the table.

"Pregnant." Simon calmly repeated.

"That's not possible. Transgenics are generally sterile, an accidental flaw having to do with how out part-feline DNA bonds with an ordinary partner's DNA." She began to pace.

"Well that makes you lucky, or unlucky, whatever the case may be." Simon put a hand on her shoulder. "Is it possible the father is a transgenic?"

"Not at all." Charlie sighed. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, eventually you'll have to tell the captain." Simon replied calmly. "I don't know how he'll take it though, not with Zoë's son Rex only a week old. Unless you plan to leave Serenity, he's going to find out eventually. You're not, right?"

"Of course not!" Charlie exclaimed. "Besides those men who woke me from cryo-sleep, you all are the only people I know in the 'verse."

"Then you have to tell Mal."

"I will, but can we keep this between us? Just for now?" She looked pleadingly at him.

"Of course, but I need you to come in every two weeks, to make sure the DNA stays bonded." Simon replied.

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Charlie spent the next month trying to figure out what to do. She knew she had to tell Jayne, but she wasn't sure how he'd react. If worse came to worse, she could leave Serenity, but that was her last resort. She loved the ship and its crew, even its grumpy merc. 


	8. Seizure

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing!**

**Sorry it's been awhile, I've been really sick.**

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Jayne woke with a grumble, and a familiar warm weight on his chest. As usual, Charlie was sprawled over him, her head resting on his pectorals. He pulled the blanket further up her back as she gave a shiver. But the shaking didn't stop, in fact it got worse.

He began to panic, and rolled them over so he was holding her increasingly thrashing body down. Seeing no end in sight, he leapt off the bed and hurriedly pulled on his pants. Jayne's face was a mass of concern as he scooped her up into his arms and headed for the infirmary.

He ran as fast as he could to the doctor's room next to the infirmary. "Doc! Doc get up. It's Charlie, something's wrong!"

Simon opened the door. "Jayne?" One look at Charlie's seizing form made him order, "Get her on the table and try to hold her still."

Jayne's panicked shouts woke up the rest of the crew, and made them rush to the infirmary. Mal walked in to find his half-naked merc half on top of the spasming transgenic, who was naked except for a blanket, and the doctor loading a syringe with a clear fluid.

As soon as Simon had injected Charlie with the substance, she stopped moving and her breathing fell into a more normal rhythm.

"What's wrong with her doc?" Mal asked, as Jayne backed away from Charlie.

"She's suffering from a serotonin deficiency." Simon said, putting away the syringe and bottle. "It's a control mechanism built into her by Manticore."

"Will she be alright?" Kaylee asked, rubbing her arms as she walked in.

"She will be." Simon looked down at Charlie's unconscious body. "I don't know about the baby though."

"Baby?" Mall asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's pregnant?" Jayne whispered, drawing Mal's attention.

"Yes. I wasn't supposed to say anything until she decided what she's going to do." Simon shook his head, "Of course termination's only an option for another few weeks."

"No." Jayne burst out.

The captain turned to him. "What the hell is going on here Jayne? First you bring her in wrapped in a blanket, and you're shirtless. And now this."

Jayne turned pale. "Uh..."

"You gorram bastard!" Mal swung back, then punched Jayne so hard, he didn't have to look out a window to see stars.


	9. AirLock Conversation

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie and mystery character (Shows up in future chapters).**

**Thanks to my loyal readers and reviewers Calliope and Lucas43, who've reviewed more then once. Also thanks to Joseph Benjamin for doing me a favor and reading my story even though he's not a Browncoat, I'm glad you like it.**

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Charlie woke up with a splitting headache. "Ugh!" she groaned, attracting Simon's attention. "What happened? Why am I here?"

"You had a seizure. Jayne brought you in."

Charlie put her head in her hands. "Oh no!" She looked up at him. "So Mal knows."

Simon winced. "Yes he does. About everything, sorry."

"Where are they?" Charlie asked looking around the room for some clothes.

"The captain's about to flush him out the airlock." Kaylee said from the doorway, holding out some clothes to Charlie.

Charlie threw the blanket back, making Simon turn away, face flaming. She grabbed the clothes from Kaylee. "Now I have to drag my transgenic ass down to the airlock to save the father of my child." She walked out the door, pulling on her clothes and cursing under her breath. "Damn inconsiderate."

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"What the hell Jayne?" Mal demanded through his walkie-talkie. "I told you to stay away from the females on this ship, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I know Cap. I just didn't think..."

"That's just it. You never think!"

"That is unbelievably true!" A laughing voice said from behind Mal, making him turn around.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw Charlie standing behind him. He sat the walkie-talkie in the window of the separating wall. He shot a look at Jayne, who was motioning for him to pick it back up, then he turned back to Charlie.

"You okay?" Mal took a step toward her, his face concerned. "You...and the kid?"

"We're good." Charlie slipped a hand under her t-shirt to rest it low on her belly. "Of course, we'd be better off if you'd let the big guy with the temper out."

"I can't, I told him what would happen if he took advantage of the women on my ship."

"Therein lies our problem Mal. He didn't take advantage of me." Charlie grinned. "The thought is beyond hilarious. An ordinary successfully forcing himself on a transgenic?"

"Yeah, I didn't think about that." Mal smiled sheepishly.

"And it's not like age is an issue. I'm five or so hundred years older than both of you." Charlie smiled. "So can you let the big dummy out? I kinda have to talk to him."

"Fine." Mal hit the button on the wall. "I'm glad you're okay." He walked past her, shaking his head.

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Jayne stood there as the door opened, without saying a word. He just stared at Charlie, and then at her hand on her stomach. "I...how did you talk him out of flushing me out of the airlock?" He rumbled.

"I made him see the truth. That unless I was given enough drugs to down an elephant, there was no way you could've taken advantage of me." She grinned. "And I was most definitely awake for this."

"And what about..." he motioned to her stomach.

"He just asked if we were okay." She gently stroked her fingers over her belly.

"And you are. Right?" Jayne stepped towards her. "You and...and the baby?"

"We're just shiny." Charlie smiled. "Us transgenics are strong."

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Zoë and Mal were sitting in the bridge, watching baby Rex gurgle at the dinosaurs around him. Zoë smiled and readjusted her hold on him. Mal watched her play with Wash's son. 

"I've got to say Captain, this latest development came as quite a shock." Zoë said, propping a foot up on the control panel.

"A shock to me as well." Mal replied, shaking his head. "Jayne and Charlie?"

"What are we gonna do?" Zoë asked, standing up.

"I have no idea, it's out of my hands."


	10. Niska

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie and mystery character (Shows up in future chapters).**

**In answer to Joseph Benjamin, yeah I have always thought of Mal as hard on the outside, soft on the inside. Throughout the series he's shown that while he's not a man to cross, if you hurt any female, especially one onboard his ship, he'll make you pay dearly.**

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Jayne collapsed, gasping for air. Charlie, beneath him, smiled dreamily as her breathing returned to normal. He moved to roll off her, but she held him still. He stared down into her green-green eyes, suddenly serious.

"Charlie, what are we going to do?" He rumbled softly. "The captain won't let us raise the kid on the ship unless we get married."

"We don't have to get married." Charlie sighed. "I could leave the ship."

"Don't. Stay. Stay with me." Jayne whispered.

"Don't freak Jayne, but I think I'm in love with you."

Jayne kissed her. "Marry me." He kissed her again. "Don't want to be without ya."

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Mal groaned as he fell, clutching his shoulder. He hated it when one of their jobs went south, as they often did. He limped to the mule, holding onto his shoulder to stem the bleeding. He turned, just in time to see Jayne get tackled by six armed men and knocked out.

"Charlie's not going to be happy about this."

When Mal returned, slumped over on the mule, all alone, Charlie slid out of her chair with a furious look on her face.

"He got himself captured, didn't he?" She put her hands on her swollen stomach.

Mal nodded, then passed out from blood loss. Simon and Zoë picked him up and carried him off to the infirmary, Kaylee trailing behind.

"Soldier girl's going after her mate." River said from the catwalk handrail she was walking along.

Charlie pulled on some protective armor she had stolen some weeks before. Then she slipped one of Jayne's knives into her bootstrap. After retrieving her favorite pair of silver handguns, she turned to River.

"Soldier girl's going after the big dummy." She climbed aboard the four-wheeler and headed towards town. Towards Niska's temporary base.

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Charlie dismounted the four-wheeler and approached the building where Jayne was being held. It had taken just a few minutes of threatening to get all the information she needed.

She easily took out the two front guards with well placed kicks. Her soft soled leather boots made absolutely no sound as she crept through a dark hallway. She mentally thanked her designers for her ability to see in almost pitch black.

In the silence, she heard the sound of blows landing. Charlie's eyes narrowed and she growled deep in her throat. In a red haze, she easily kicked in the solid oak door, as if it were tin foil.

Five sets of startled eyes flew to the splintered remains of the door, and the furious, armed woman standing in the doorway. Her hands flew to the holsters at her hips, pulling out sleek silver handguns.

The transgenic emptied the ammo of both guns into the chests of the two men closest to her. With a feral grin, she slipped the guns back into their holsters, then blurred over to a muscle bound giant who had obviously been the one hitting Jayne.

Jayne watched helplessly as his pregnant wife moved to engage the huge man. He strained against the heavy ropes restraining him.

The obviously steroid-enhanced thug threw a heavy fist at Charlie's head. She ducked easily, throwing him off balance. She sent a crippling series of punches to his ribs and kidney, as she went under his swinging arm. Then she quickly kicked out his kneecaps, sending him hurtling to the floor. Another kick, delivered to his temple, left him unconscious.

Charlie turned slowly towards Niska, who was cowering in one corner. He attempted to pull a taser gun from his belt, but she was too quick.

"You have attacked Serenity and her crew for the last time." Charlie said with narrowed eyes. "I wish I could spare the time to draw this out, but I have things to do."

She slid the knife out of her bootstrap and within a blink of an eye, sent it hurtling across the room to bury itself in Niska's chest. He gasped, and was dead before he hit the ground, his heart neatly skewered.

"Busy, busy, busy." She laughed, shaking her head.

Jayne stared at Charlie, slack jawed. He'd thought Zoë had been the most graceful pregnant woman he'd ever seen. But charlie made her look like a horse in a dress. He watched as his wife turned to him, her hands on her hips, a single eyebrow raised.

"I can't believe you got yourself captured. By Niska of all people."

Charlie looked so serious that Jayne had to smile.

"I knew you were supposed to be great in combat, but I had no idea how hot you were when you were in your element." Jayne grinned wolfishly at her.

Charlie couldn't resist smiling back. She stepped on Niska's still unconscious bodyguard's chest to reach Jayne. She deftly cut his ropes with her backup blade.

"Stop that, I'm trying to be mad here." When he clambered to his feet, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her waist.

After a few minutes, she reluctantly pulled away. "We have to go." Charlie gave him a quick peck. "Those charges I set should be going off in about five minutes."

"Five minutes? Woman you'll drive me crazy one of these days."

When Jayne let her go, Charlie headed over to Niska, and pulled the knife out of his limp body. She quickly slipped it into her boot and headed out the door, leaving Jayne to follow. Once outside, she mounted the four-wheeler and Jayne climbed on behind her.

"Then again, you already drive me crazy." He rumbled in her ear.

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"You went into Niska's compound alone!" Mal yelled at an immobile Charlie. "You risked your own life and the life of your child for Jayne! Gorramit Charlie, you're five months pregnant!"

"Yes sir." Charlie smiled at Mal. "Don't worry Mal, he's gonna have to save his own ass for the next few months." She laid a protective hand on her belly.

Mal smiled back, unable to resist. "How'd Jayne take to being saved by the little woman?"

"He thought it was hot." She bent over and retrieved the knife from her boot. "Brought this for you."

Mal stared at the blade as she handed it to him. "The blood, Niska's?"

"Yep, planted it in his heart." Charlie gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you at dinner. I've got some big news."

**Please review, I need some feedback. 14 reviews total? Disgraceful.**


	11. The Big Announcement

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I only own what you don't recognise from Dark Angel or Firefly.**

**In answer to one of my reviewers, Charlie's history mostly remains in shadow this story. I'm currently working on a sequel while reworking this story. The second story "Freedom" will be up right after this one's done, it goes into depth the past, present and future of transgenics in the Firefly 'verse. Also there's now a Jayne and Charlie forum for any questions you have.

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**

That night, when everyone had finished dinner, Mal turned to Charlie.

"Okay, what's the big news?" He asked, pushing away his plate.

Charlie grinned, shooting a look at Jayne, who was looking confused, as usual.

"Shortly before our fearless leader returned, bleeding." She shot a glare at Mal. "I had an appointment with Simon."

"Didja find out whether the kid's a boy or a girl?" Jayne asked, wrapping one arm around what was left of her waist.

"Yes, both." Charlie grinned at the shocked and confused faces around her.

Kaylee was the first to speak. "What do you mean both?"

"We're having twins, a boy and a girl!"

Jayne stood up and wrapped his arms around her. Laughing, he twirled her in a circle.

"Wait, I thought that transgenics and ordinaries could have children at all. How are you two having fraternal twins?" Zoë asked, picking up her dishes.

"Fraternal twins?" Jayne set Charlie down.

"It means that it's the father who created twins, identical twins are the same egg, fraternal are two eggs." Simon answered, his arm around Kaylee.

"Me huh?" Jayne swelled with pride. He looked down at Charlie. Then he bent his head down and whispered something in her ear.

Charlie blushed. "Well, uh...see you guys later." Jayne grabbed her hand and they rushed out of the room.

"We'll be in my bunk." Jayne called over his shoulder.

* * *

Charlie tried not to scream as the contraction hit. Mal, Zoë and Jayne were out on a job. River and Inara were out on a shopping trip. Kaylee stayed onboard to watch over Rex and Simon had stayed to watch Charlie. She had protested until she had gone into labor a half hour after Mal had ordered radio silence. 

Twenty minutes into her labor, Charlie had reached hard labor. Arching off the table with tears of pain streaming down her face, she gratefully squeezed Kaylee's offered hand, making sure not to hurt her. She delivered a large healthy boy, then an equally healthy but slightly smaller girl.

Kaylee held her "niece" as she sat beside Charlie, who was holding her new son. "What are you going to name them?"

"We hadn't decided yet." Charlie rolled her eyes. "Jayne and I thought that we had had another month. But now, meeting them, I know exactly what to call them."

"What?" Kaylee smiled down at the baby in her arms.

Charlie touched her daughter's cheek. "Alexa, for the library of Alexandria in Ancient Egypt, the center of knowledge in the ancient world." She smiled. "We'll call her Lex."

Kaylee smiled back. "Sounds all cultured and refine. And your son?"

Charlie kissed the top of her son's head and grinned.  
"Jesse James, after a gunslinging bankrobber who robbed a railroad tycoon's payrolls, and gave some of the money to people hurt by the railroad." She smiled warmly. "We'll call him Jess."

"A gunslinger?" Kaylee laughed. "Sounds like Jayne's son to me."

* * *

The sound of a loud crash came from the cargo bay. Simon silently went to check it out. He came rushing back in, panicking. 

"Strange men. They've managed to open the bay doors." Simon looked from the two women to the two babies. "What should we do?"

Charlie gingerly stood up, handing Jess to Simon. "Hold him. I'll take care of this."

Before Kaylee or Simon could protest, she had grabbed her underwear and was out the door, her long skirt swirling around her bare legs

* * *

. 

Charlie ran into the bunk she shared with Jayne. Grabbing her favorite silver handguns, she headed for the cargo bay. She slipped along the catwalks, observing the men below. One of the men turned, and she saw a vivid barcode on the back of his neck.

Charlie froze. They were transgenics! In her distraction, she didn't hear a tall combat model come up behind her.

* * *

Lane carried his unconscious captive down to the cargo bay floor. 

"A X-5, an assassination model too. And by the looks of it, she's recently given birth." He pushed back her long dark hair, revealing a rapidly bruising cheek. "We don't need a brat with unknown bloodlines in the program. We'll just leave it here."

The other two transgenics nodded, and headed out the bay doors. Lane's expression turned remorseful as soon as their backs were turned.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. "There's nothing I can do. If I show any sign of weakness they'll kill me." He walked out the doors, deliberately not seeing Kaylee watching him.

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**Please review this story. I've worked hard on it and reviews are like food coupons for a communist worker, dearly needed and proof of a hard day's work.**


	12. She's Gone Jayne

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Lane, Jess and Lex, but only them.

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When the crew got back, they found Kaylee pacing the cargo bay floor. When she caught sight of them, she ran up to them, tears streaming down her face. She tried to speak, but the words choked her. Mal grabbed her, and shook her once, jolting her hard into reality.

"Kaylee? Kaylee, what happened?"

"Charlie went into early labor..." Kaylee choked.

* * *

Jayne paled and dropped the bag he was carrying. When he reached the infirmary, he found the doctor wadding up some bloody sheets. 

"Tell me everything." Jayne demanded when Simon turned around.

"She had just had the twins when some men broke through the cargo bay doors. She'd only had a few minutes of rest, but she got up and went after them."

The captain, Zoë and Kaylee stepped in.

"What happened?" Mal asked, half holding up Kaylee.

Kaylee wiped her eyes. "The leader, this huge blonde guy knocked her out with a single hit. Then they took her away."

"The kids?" Jayne looked wildly around the room. "Did they take them too?"

Simon shook his head. "Kaylee heard them decide to leave and baby of hers here. Something about how they couldn't deal with unknown parentage. They're both asleep in you bunk." He barely got the words out before Jayne rushed out of the room. Kaylee followed.

* * *

Jayne ran into their bunk. There sleeping in the cribs they had built into the wall, were the twins. 

"Did she name them before they took her?" He murmured throatily.

"Alexa for the girl, Lex for short." Kaylee's voice went husky as she tried to hold back her tears. "And Jesse James after a famous outlaw, Jess for short."

Jayne gently stroked each of the babies' soft hair. "Jess, Lex, I'll get her back." He turned to Kaylee. "Could you watch them for me?" She nodded.

Jayne left the room, with one last look at the babies. He headed to the bridge, looking for Mal. He found him there, talking to River.

"Cap."

Mal turned. "You going after her?"

"Yeah, but I need you to promise to take care of my kids if'n something goes bad."

"Course." Mal put a reassuring hand on Jayne's shoulder. "They're family. Go get your wife from those Gorram bastards."

* * *

Jayne nodded and turned to leave. He was about to walk out the bay doors after loading up his pack, when the sound of a voice stopped him. 

"Jayne!" River called out. He turned around.

"Crazy? What?" He asked, anxious to leave.

"I'm coming with you. She's my friend." She picked up her own pack. "Two assassins became two friends."

Jayne nodded. They walked silently out the cargo bay doors and down the ramp.

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**Please review this story. I don't mean to sound bitchy but I really want some feedback. Plus I want to get opinions on what Jess and Lex and Rex should be like (the sequel centers on them).  
**


	13. Manticora Institute

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Lane2, Jess and Lex, but only them. Also the original idea for Lane's breeding program came from Valjean (****http/www.valjeanfanfiction****. com/index.html), I just borrowed it and this is the future of it.****

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**

Charlie woke up to find herself in a strange room. She slid gingerly from beneath the sheets of the bed she was in. She looked around, seeing a two-way mirror and a steel door. As she watched, the door opened and a huge blonde man walked through.

"Lane?" She gasped, stunned.

"Yes and no." He walked casually up to her. "I'm the direct descendent of the original. But I am called Lane also."

"I see his breeding program was successful." She rolled her eyes.

"It is an honor to meet a first-gen." He settled into a militaristic 'at ease' stance. "It will be a boon to the program."

"Uh-huh. Sure." She rolled her eyes. "This your first solo mission? Convincing a **mated** first-gen to join your breeding program?"

"Yes. It's my last chance. I've shown too much mercy." He sighed looking like a lost little boy.

Charlie stared at the boy who was the spitting image of a monster. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

* * *

Jayne was confused, he shot a look at River who was looking deadly serious. He had been expecting transgenics all along the multi-storied building's perimeter, but found no one. When they entered the building lobby of the "hospital," they found the guards, and everyone else. 

There were, he guessed, around twenty unconscious people in the lobby. River and Jayne continued down the hall to find even more alive but sleeping bodies. River stopped and cocked her head.

"The air, something in the air made them sleep." She whispered so quietly Jayne barely heard her.

He stopped and thought for a moment. "Oh, tranq. gas."

They continued down the hallway, coming upon a juncture. The corridor split into three passageways, one ahead, one to their left, and on to their right. River, without hesitation headed down the one to their left.

For almost ten minutes, all they found was room after room of immobile transgenics. Then they heard the sound of voices coming towards them. Jayne readied himself by pulling a pair of handguns and tensing his muscles. Strangely enough, River didn't move.

He sighted a blonde muscle-bound young man stalking towards him. Jayne immediately aimed and fired, hitting the teen in his left shoulder. The blonde didn't even flinch, but leapt at him, growling ferally.

Jayne caught a nasty left hook to his chin, and fought back with a right uppercut. A body blow knocked him down and knocked the wind out of him. He threw a wild punch, but got caught in a strangle hold. He was straining to reach his knife when he heard someone call his name.

"Jayne!" Charlie screamed. "Lane!"

The two men stopped struggling and looked up at her. Charlie shot Lane a look.

"Junior, could you let go of my mate?" Charlie said, as if talking to a small child.

Lane reluctantly released the merc from his hold. "Yes ma'am." He looked up and caught sight of River. Who's she?"

* * *

The four of them walked straight out of the Monticora Institute. Jayne was never more than a foot from his wife's side. Lane and River followed just behind them, Lane watching her covertly, and River smiling to herself. 

When they reached Serenity, which had been there waiting for them, they heard a shriek. Kaylee came running out and hugged Charlie fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Kaylee pulled back and smiled at Charlie, Jayne and River. Then she saw Lane silently standing there. "Who's he?" She whispered.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Mal asked, leaning against a bulkhead. 

"Invite him to join the crew." Charlie repeated.

"He kidnapped you!" Mal sputtered.

"He was under orders. You took Jayne when he was pointing a gun at you." She sighed. "He can't go back after he broke me out. Besides, even with selective breeding, after five hundred years, the transgenics now are pretty weak."

"Weak?" Mal's eyes narrowed. "Why would I want someone weak on my crew?"

"Weakness is subjective." At Mal's blank look, she continued. "Weaker than me, he's just a little stronger than Jayne."

"You're not going to let me go on this, are you?" Mal said with a sigh.

"Nope." Charlie grinned.

"Fine. Could use some more muscle anyhow. You may be the strongest person I've ever met, but you're not very scary. Except when someone gets you angry, then you're terrifying."

Charlie smiled and kissed Mal on the cheek. He quickly backed away, throwing up his hands.

"Your husband however, he's scary twenty-four/seven. Plus he's got a jealous streak a mile wide."

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**Please review this story. I've worked hard on it and reviews are further proof that I should continue.**


	14. The Name Game

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Lane2, Jess and Lex, but only them. Also the original idea for Lane's breeding program came from Valjean (****http/www.valjeanfanfiction****. com/index.html), I just borrowed it and this is the future of it.

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**

Charlie was sitting in the dining area, rocking her baby son in her arms. Next to her, Jayne was looking decidedly rough and huge, not to mention panicked, holding his tiny daughter. Inara laughed at the stricken look on his face, then scooped Lex out of his brawny arms.

"Baby brother." Charlie looked at the blonde transgenic, who was sitting across the table from her. "Now we can't go around calling you Lane, you're already too recognizable looking like you do. You're six foot four, you're not exactly easy to hide."

The boy shrugged his broad shoulders. "What should we call me then?"

"Devon?" Inara suggested. He shook his head.

"Edward?" Kaylee put forward, walking into the room and pulled up a chair. He shook his head.

"James?" Mal said, staring at Inara and the child she was holding.

"Matthew?" A shake of his head.

"Frank?" Another shake.

"Cal." The crew turned around to find River in the doorway.

"I like it." The newly christened Cal said, smiling at River.

* * *

HORRIBLY SHORT I KNOW...THAT'S WHY THERE'S

TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY.

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**Please review this story. I've worked hard on it and reviews are proof that I should continue.**


	15. A Surprise on the Bridge

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Lane2, Jess and Lex, but only them. Also the original idea for Lane's breeding program came from Valjean (****http/www.valjeanfanfiction****. com/index.html), I just borrowed it and this is the future of it.

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**

A YEAR HAS PASSED IN THE STORY SINCE THE LAST CHAPTER

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Mal walked along the corridor to the bridge, whistling. He was happy, and for good reason. They had had a string of good luck lately, they had more than enough to eat, Simon and Kaylee were a month away from their first anniversary, the twins were continuingly stunning the crew with their abilities and Inara and he had been married for three weeks.

When he walked into the bridge, intent on talking to his pilot, he found her with more than her feet bare.

"Oh god!" He yelled, startling the entwined pair standing against one bulkhead. "River! Cal!" The pair apart and to hurriedly pull on their clothes.

Charlie and Simon ran in, just in time to see what was going on.

"River!" Simon gasped. "What's going on here?"

Kaylee, Jayne, Zoë and Inara rushed in.

"Sex." River replied baldly, making Mal groan. "Obviously."

"But you're just a kids!" Simon sputtered out. "You're only nineteen and Cal's barely twenty! You guys can't be serious yet."

"I was a year older when I got married, then six months later I had the twins." Charlie said smiling slightly.

"I killed my first man when I was fifteen." River said petulantly.

Simon was silent, speechless.

"I killed my first at six." Charlie said matter of factly, making the crew turn to her, shocked. "What? I started weapons training at four."

Jayne wrapped on arm around her waist. "That's my girl."

Simon turned back to River, who was being held tightly by Cal. "But she's my baby sister!" he whined.

"And he's my baby brother. So?" Charlie returned.

Zoë turned to the embracing teens. "The important question may be, how long had this been going on?"

River and Cal looked at each other.

"Almost a year." Cal said.

"The last moon we were on, we got married." River said, looking at her brother and the captain.

A/N: Cal don't use more words than he has to, and when River is around him she doesn't either.

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**Please review this story. I've worked hard on it and reviews are proof that I should continue.**


	16. A Little Talk Between Guys

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Cal, Jess and Lex, but only them.**

**WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INCLUDED LAST TIME SORRY :(

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"Aw Cap." Jayne complained. "You didn't even threaten him with the airlock."

"It was obvious it was mutual and Simon, as her brother, is in charge of threatening him." Mal smiled. "Plus, getting between Charlie and her family is not something to be done lightly. Your wife in action is a fearsome thing."

"It think she's sexy when she's fightin'." Jayne grinned. "But I'd never wanna be on the opposite side as her."

"Neither would I." Mal replied.

Jayne went serious for a moment. "Charlie's my dream girl Mal. She's gorgeous, smart, has a great body, and is a better and more fierce fighter than me. I love her."

Mal grinned. "My question always was what does she see in _you?_"

Jayne laughed. "Must be my sparklin' personality."

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**So reviews please . Reviews equal love.**


	17. The Lane Discussion

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Cal, Jess and Lex, but only them.**

**THIS CHAPTER ISN'T VERY LIGHT AND FLUFFY TO BEWARE!

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After dinner, sitting around the table had become the time to share stories. With the kids asleep, the adults could and often did talk the night away.

"Charlie?" Cal asked, his arm around River's waist. "Tell me about Lane. The first one I mean."

Charlie shivered involuntarily. "Well, to understand Lane, you have to understand Manticore." She choked.

Jayne pulled Charlie into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Charlie smiled lovingly at him, then turned back to the crew.

"Manticore's mission was to create an army of super-soldiers for our country. We were supposed to be cold, having no emotional ties, besides loyalty, to anything or anyone."

"They obviously failed ya there." Kaylee piped up.

"Yes." Charlie smiled at her loved ones all around her. "But their training worked better on some of us than others."

"Lane." Cal murmured.

"Yes, Lane." Charlie's smiled turned sad. "lane and his twin Zach were our leaders, the best of the best. They may have been physically identical, both six foot four, blonde, handsome, heavily-muscled combat models, like Cal here. But in every other way, they were opposites."

The crew's gaze turned momentarily to Cal, then back to Charlie, perched on Jayne's lap.

"Zack loved his unit, considered them his family. At age ten Zack broke all but two of his unit mates, and himself, out of Manticore." Charlie grinned. "They escaped through a plate glass window, running barefoot through snow in hospital gowns at sub-zero temperatures, evading armed ordinary soldiers and attack dogs. Then they climbed over a ten foot chain link fence topped with razor wire."

"At age ten?" Inara gaped at the two transgenics.

"A few were ten, most were younger, about eight or nine." Charlie smiled sadly. "Let's just say that the Committee wasn't happy after the escape."

After a deep breath, she continued. "After the standard six months in Psy-Ops, Lane turned vicious, He took to violently beating those in his unit for the slightest offence."

"You were in his unit?" Mal asked, his eyes sympathetic.

"Yes." Charlie rubbed her chin absently. "I once backed up another unit commander in a joint mission, Alec was worried about collateral damage but Lane wasn't. He broke my jaw in three places, snapped two ribs and dislocated my shoulder. All for daring to suggest that Alec may have been right."

Jayne and Mal's faces both reflected their fury. Charlie kissed Jayne gently on his cheek. "Remember, it was a long time ago. I was thirteen."

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**So reviews please :). Reviews equal love.**


	18. A Talk of Two Transgenics

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Cal, Jess and Lex, but only them.

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Cal moved silently along the catwalk. He looked down to see Charlie working out on Jayne's weight bench. Another step caused the catwalk to squeak.

"Forgetting your training already?" She called up.

Cal laughed and slid down the handrail nearest to him. "I'll never beat you big sister will I?" He grinned.

"Nope, never." Charlie looked him over. Cal looked genuinely happy and content. "River's good for you baby brother. She moves you away from the darkness of Manticore."

"Jayne's obviously good for you. Plus my neice and nephew are awful cute." Cal smiled. "Where is my brother-in-law anyway?"

Charlie grinned roguishly. "Sleeping. I wore him out."

Cal's smile faded as a thought occurred to him. "Charlie? Charlie, Lane didn't...didn't rape you did he?"

"No. Luckily I was long gone before they would've let him get away with that." Charlie patted Cal on the back when he gave a relieved sigh. "Actually when I was recaptured, after Manticore's final destruction, I was given a choice. I could either join the Cryo-program or I could join Lane's program."

"I'm glad you joined the cryo-program." Cal said softly.

"Hey, if anyone's glad it's me. Instead of a lifetime of hell with a breeding partner, I have a new set a friends, a loving if a not-so-bright husband, two gorgeous little brats and a pain-in-the-neck little brother." She poked him playfully.

"And you made my life better too. They were one failed mission away from terminating me." Cal hugged her, an unusual act for a transgenic. "Instead I have friends, a gorgeous fiancée, and, a pain-in-the-neck big sister."

Charlie laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

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**These last chapters are pretty short, but are coming in rapid succession. Only two left. Then it's FREEDOM time.**

**So, reviews please. Reviews equal love.**

**I usually add a new chapter after three new reviews, so you could even get a chapter late tonight.**


	19. Fifty Percent?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Cal, Jess and Lex, oh and Rex, but only them (so far).

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**

This job wasn't going to go as planned, Charlie could feel it in her bones. She looked over her shoulder anxiously. Mal, Jayne and Cal sat across from a sleazy looking guy backed by his two no-neck gun-toting goons.

Charlie listened in with her enhanced hearing.

"What do you mean fifty percent?" Mal half-shouted. "We agreed on twenty-five."

"Too bad." The slimy little man motioned to his thugs. They reached for their weapons.

Charlie turned to River, who was next to her at the bar. River nodded silently at Charlie's thoughts. They stood up and walked across the room to the table, drawing the attention of the oily businessman and his hired guns.

"Do you know these women captain?" The man said sneeringly as the brutes behind him leered at the two young women.

"These are my men's wives." Mal nodded approvingly as River and Charlie gave vacant smiles. "Not the sharpest tools in the engine room if you get my drift, but pretty nonetheless."

The old man and his "associates" immediately dismissed the presence of the two women.

"So, it's either fifty percent, or we kill you and take it all." The two blockheads drew their weapons. I'd put those away if I were you." Mal said, his voice deadly soft.

"Or what?" The wrinkled man in the business suit replied, not taking him seriously.

Mal nodded to River and Charlie, and they sprang into action. Before either hired gun could blink, the young women had snatched away their weapons, dismantled them, and threw them to the floor.

After a second, still gaping, the old man put up his hands. "Okay, okay. We'll take the twenty-five percent!"

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**These last chapters are pretty short, but are coming in rapid succession. Only one left. Then it's FREEDOM time.**

**So, reviews please. Reviews equal love.**


	20. This is the End?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Cal, Jess and Lex, oh and Rex, but only them (so far).

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**

Mal sat drinking a mug of hard cider, when Zoë came in.

"Can't sleep sir?" She said as she pulled up a chair across from him.

"Just thinking." Mal replied, taking another swig. "Two years ago, who would've thought we'd end up like we have?"

"I doubt any of us could've guessed this outcome." Zoë murmured.

"Jayne is married. To a superhuman transgenic no less. Her 'little brother' is married to Albatross. Simon and Kaylee are together, so are Inara and I." Mal smiled. "Plus you have Rex, and he's got two part transgenics for playmates."

Zoë laughed. "Just wait until they're teenagers sir."

Mal shuddered. "I hadn't thought of that."

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**THE END?**

**Freedom is coming

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THANK YOU ALL FOR READING MY STORY. PLEASE REVIEW IT IF YOU GOT THIS FAR. THE BEGINNING OF THE SEQUEL IS GONNA BE POSTED IN A FEW DAYS. WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? JUST READ TO FIND OUT!


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